Sep 28, 2018, 11:53 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Today we’re introducing a few updates for members with MileagePlus Premier® status — some of which are already in effect and some that will come later. These updates include added benefits related to boarding groups and baggage allowances, as well as adjustments to our upgrade structure and Premier 1K® status qualification requirements.
Better boarding
Effective on September 18, 2018
· Premier® 1K® members will be called to board during pre-boarding ahead of Group 1
· Premier Gold members will now board with Boarding Group1, previous in Group 2
Baggage allowance for Premier members
Effective on September 28, 2018:
All Premier® members, regardless of Premier status, will receive the same standard weight allowance for checked baggage: 70 lbs. (32 kg.)
Additionally:
· All Premier members flying in United Business®, United First®, or United Polaris® business class are allowed up to three bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
· Premier Gold members flying in United Economy® between the U.S. and Europe are allowed three bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
· Premier Silver members flying in United Economy between the U.S. and Europe are allowed two bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
Premier qualification requirements
Effective on January 1, 2019:
· Premier qualification dollar (PQD) requirement for Premier 1K status will be raised from $12,000 to $15,000.
· P-class fares will earn 150% Premier qualifying miles (PQM), reduced from 200%.
Premier upgrades
Effective on January 1, 2019:
· The way a Premier 1K member earns additional upgrades will be changing. For every 25,000 Premier qualifying miles (PQM) or 30 Premier qualifying segments (PQS) after qualifying for Premier 1K status, we’ll add one Global Premier Upgrades into your account. No additional Regional Premier Upgrades can be earned after qualifying for Premier 1K status.
More details can be found here: www.mileageplusupdates.com
- UA Insider
Better boarding
Effective on September 18, 2018
· Premier® 1K® members will be called to board during pre-boarding ahead of Group 1
· Premier Gold members will now board with Boarding Group1, previous in Group 2
Baggage allowance for Premier members
Effective on September 28, 2018:
All Premier® members, regardless of Premier status, will receive the same standard weight allowance for checked baggage: 70 lbs. (32 kg.)
Additionally:
· All Premier members flying in United Business®, United First®, or United Polaris® business class are allowed up to three bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
· Premier Gold members flying in United Economy® between the U.S. and Europe are allowed three bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
· Premier Silver members flying in United Economy between the U.S. and Europe are allowed two bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
Premier qualification requirements
Effective on January 1, 2019:
· Premier qualification dollar (PQD) requirement for Premier 1K status will be raised from $12,000 to $15,000.
· P-class fares will earn 150% Premier qualifying miles (PQM), reduced from 200%.
Premier upgrades
Effective on January 1, 2019:
· The way a Premier 1K member earns additional upgrades will be changing. For every 25,000 Premier qualifying miles (PQM) or 30 Premier qualifying segments (PQS) after qualifying for Premier 1K status, we’ll add one Global Premier Upgrades into your account. No additional Regional Premier Upgrades can be earned after qualifying for Premier 1K status.
More details can be found here: www.mileageplusupdates.com
- UA Insider
Good news! I got written confirmation from 1kvoice on the below:
We will honor 200% Premier Qualifying Mile (PQM) accrual for tickets purchased before September 28, 2018 for travel on/after January 1, 2019.
• A manual adjustment to 200% PQM accrual for P-fare flown segments can be made post-departure at the customer’s request.
• Any tickets purchased after September 28, 2018, for travel on/after January 1, 2019 are only eligible to receive 150% PQM accrual.
• A manual adjustment to 200% PQM accrual for P-fare flown segments can be made post-departure at the customer’s request.
• Any tickets purchased after September 28, 2018, for travel on/after January 1, 2019 are only eligible to receive 150% PQM accrual.
Related threads
United's New Boarding Process (with Wiki) [starting 18 Sep 2018]
Partner P fare earning after 1 Jan 2019
Updates to MP Premier Program -1K PQD $15K, P fare 150%, fewer RPU, Bag waiver & more
Oct 1, 2018, 7:42 pm
#361
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,138
I won't lie; the P changes will suck. But I noticed that I have a lot of Z and C fares this year, too. Most of the paid international premium has been P, though... almost all of it (2x Europe and 2x South America). I figure I'd need an additional 2 paid front cabin transcons to make the PQM this year under the new system (which would incidentally put me very close to the extra $3k).
Oct 1, 2018, 10:07 pm
#362
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,208
I won't lie; the P changes will suck. But I noticed that I have a lot of Z and C fares this year, too. Most of the paid international premium has been P, though... almost all of it (2x Europe and 2x South America). I figure I'd need an additional 2 paid front cabin transcons to make the PQM this year under the new system (which would incidentally put me very close to the extra $3k).
Oct 1, 2018, 10:21 pm
#363
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,416
There is absolutely no indication of P changing to premium economy, however...
If this happened, the booking code rules for the NH P fare would book Z class on UA (or whatever the new cheapest Business bucket is). There's a bit of overlap between J and C inventory that could be unwound without a ton of difficulty. Many *A airlines only have four revenue Business codes.
If United moves P class to premium economy and gets out of sequence with other *A carriers, this could cause issues - for example, ANA has a P fare sale YVR-TPE and I fly YVR-SEA(AC-P)-SEA-NRT(NH-P)-NRT-TPE(NH-P) all in business and the next segment is TPE-SFO(UA-P)-SFO-YVR(UA-P) those last segments should be in business per the NH fare, but would I end up in Premium Economy TPE-SFO if the fare won't price out TPE-SFO-YVR in Z on UA?
Oct 2, 2018, 1:13 am
#364
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,412
If this happened, the booking code rules for the NH P fare would book Z class on UA (or whatever the new cheapest Business bucket is). There's a bit of overlap between J and C inventory that could be unwound without a ton of difficulty. Many *A airlines only have four revenue Business codes.
Oct 2, 2018, 6:55 am
#365
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
More devaluation in the store?
This might be off topics. I wonder whether or not UA is going to give partial purchase price as PQD for deep discount economy ticket (G class in my case) in the near future. I purchased a ticket this morning. The ticket price is $506 excluding taxes and other charges. The PQD in the receipt shows $333. It is Tuesday today. I cannot blame the weekend IT update for this problem. Is anyone else having this experience?
Oct 2, 2018, 8:20 am
#366
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: NY
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Titanium, National Exec Elite
Posts: 126
This is just great. Let me just recap my personal history over the past few years. I would fly 100K per year and would achieve 1K with about $5K-$7K worth of spend I would earn 200K in miles 6 GPU & 4 RPU. With business trips to Asia I managed to hit the 10K spend threshold and earned only 110K miles on the PQDx11 model. This year (and last) I will fly 100K miles with a $9K spend and be Platinum earning 81K miles 4 RPU. Now I will have no chance of hitting 1K and only get 2 RPU. On top of that we now have platinum boarding with gold. My experience over the last week boarding at EWR, IAH & MSY is that group 1 is now the largest group by far. Over the past 5 years they have demanded more from me in terms of spend and have given me less and less in benefits. I really wish I had an alternative but none are feasible. Sorry for the rant but I really wish that my business was some how appreciated in some way.
AW
AW
Oct 2, 2018, 8:28 am
#367
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,412
Oct 2, 2018, 8:38 am
#368
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,461
That has not been possible since PQD were introduced Jan. 1, 2014. The last year a US resident could qualify for 1K without at least $10k spend was 2013.
Oct 2, 2018, 8:45 am
#369
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: UA 1K MM, HHonors Diamond,PC, Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 1,117
Oct 2, 2018, 8:51 am
#370
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: UA 1K MM, HHonors Diamond,PC, Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 1,117
We are sort of getting off topic, but the lounge survey was extensive. It even asked you how much you would be willing to pay to access the Polaris Lounge. It was definitely referring to paying for access.
I look at it this way. Now only UA J and F customers get access to Polaris Lounge, but they get in for Free. A new ground based source of additional revenue would be to allows others in for a fee. Yes it would make the lounge more crowded, but UA went from only having the UA Club for their J customers. The cost per J customer to provide lounge services is now higher - so higher costs need to be offset with more revenue, and generating ground base revenue is a plus. Not many other options for air based revenue other than raising fares.
I look at it this way. Now only UA J and F customers get access to Polaris Lounge, but they get in for Free. A new ground based source of additional revenue would be to allows others in for a fee. Yes it would make the lounge more crowded, but UA went from only having the UA Club for their J customers. The cost per J customer to provide lounge services is now higher - so higher costs need to be offset with more revenue, and generating ground base revenue is a plus. Not many other options for air based revenue other than raising fares.
Oct 2, 2018, 8:54 am
#371
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: NY
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Titanium, National Exec Elite
Posts: 126
Oct 2, 2018, 9:04 am
#372
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,461
I think all of us need to assess the various program rules and decide where we will get the most value for our dollars. AS is now probably the best U.S. program for lower spending frequent flyers. UA and DL still provide good value up to Plat with the credit card waiver, but none of the legacies are going to give you top tier these days without meeting a significant spend component.
Oct 2, 2018, 9:20 am
#373
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,412
Oct 2, 2018, 9:20 am
#374
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: BWI, PHL, IAD
Programs: Marriott LT Titanium; Mileage Plus 1K, 1 MM; Global Entry
Posts: 1,516
United's own page still shows P at 200% for UA flights, with no mention of the 1/1/2019 change, so I wouldn't hold me breath. I hope they keep it at 200% -- 150% seems very chintzy for a business class fare.
Oct 2, 2018, 9:24 am
#375
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,461
United's own page still shows P at 200% for UA flights, with no mention of the 1/1/2019 change
{The DOT should} go after this as a deceptive practice.
Well in the sentence right before the one you quoted I said that all of us need to make our own personal assessments in choosing FF programs; I assumed most would understand that to include network. Obviously it wouldn't make much sense to choose AS if their network doesn't work for you.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Oct 2, 2018 at 10:36 am Reason: removed vugar language